


I'll Always Come Back

by its_me_smol_steve



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Also fluff, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, but are you really surprised I mean it's me we're talking about
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 06:49:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18425106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/its_me_smol_steve/pseuds/its_me_smol_steve
Summary: Steve didn't realize he still had a home. Bucky helps him realize he always has a home.





	I'll Always Come Back

**Author's Note:**

> It's me again!! Ok so things about this fic: as of right now, it's a stand-alone, but I've got a whole 'verse (almost?) that this comes from so I will *probably* post more eventually.

"Holy shit," he breathed out, unaware he'd even spoken. The person who'd arrested his attention was standing still in front of the Starbucks he'd just exited.

"Fuck," the brunet replied in a murmur, and moved towards him, grabbing his arm. "I know, okay, I know, my place is a block away, hold it together for a little bit longer." With that, he turned and pulled the blond in the direction of his apartment.

By the time they got there, Steve's legs were shaking. "Bucky," he managed when the brunet turned to him after locking the door.

He gave Steve a small smile. "Hi, Stevie."

"I-I don't-" he shook his head, at a loss for words. "How?" Another shake, as if it would help get his point across.

"I got free months ago. I would've come to see you, I swear, Steve, but I had to make sure first." He shook his head, "I couldn't risk hurting you."

"I would've been fine." The response was automatic, as was the smile Bucky gave him.

"I wouldn't have been." He stepped closer, arms out. "C'mon. I know you too well."

"You do," Steve chuckled, but he was already folding into Bucky's embrace, tucking his face into the area between his neck and shoulder. "Jesus Christ," he muttered.

Bucky brought his right hand up to card his fingers in blond strands. "I know," he whispered, and now his legs were shaking, too. "I know."

Steve started shaking in earnest, and his legs gave out. Bucky did his best to catch him but merely slowed his descent. Steve shifted, raising his head and pillowing his chin on Bucky's shoulder. "Seventy years," he murmured. "And you're back."

"I'll always come back," Bucky replied, just as quiet. "I've gotta. We traded dog tags, remember?"

Steve's laugh sounded more like a sob. "I don't even know where mine--er, yours--are anymore."

"It's one of the first things I did. I tracked them down and got them back." He shifted back, creating a little space in between them. "I hope you don't mind I took some... creative license." He showed Steve the dog tag, now on his wrist, one hole on each side and the chain threaded through.

"Museum prob'ly has yours," Steve mused, lightly touching the tag, then tracing the chain. "I missed you."

"Yeah, me too, punk," Bucky breathed, catching the back of Steve's neck and resting their foreheads together. He sighed, "I missed you too, Stevie."

Steve leaned forward again and rested his head on Bucky's shoulder. "I'm glad you're here."

"You're the one sitting in my apartment, pal," Bucky chuckled, and Steve nodded.

"I hope you know you're telling me everything," Steve murmured, not shifting positions. "I wanna hear all of it."

"Y'know, I somehow think that's not true," Bucky said, but Steve shook his head.

"I do. All of it." He leaned back to level the brunet with a look. "You know it won't change how I feel about you."

"Yeah, you say that now," Bucky tried for a joke.

"Bucky." He sighed, "Come on. You know me. Do you seriously think I'm gonna change how I feel about you? That anything is capable of changing how I feel about you?"

Bucky blinked at him for a second before grinning. "Wow. That sounded really gay, Rogers."

"Shut up." Steve huffed out a laugh. "How much do you remember?"

"Everything," he said, and his voice sounded so sad for a second that Steve stilled. "But you know," he continued in a lighter tone, "it's all worth it if it means I get to do this again." He grabbed the sides of Steve's face with both hands and leaned forward, meeting their lips.

It was a soft, chaste kiss, and it broke the dam, tears falling from Steve's eyes faster than he could wipe them away. "There it is," Bucky murmured, and kissed his forehead. "It's okay." Steve made a choked-off noise and Bucky nodded. "I know. It wasn't okay. Not for a long time. But it is now, and I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." He curled around Steve tighter and whispered, "I know it's my fault and I'm so damn sorry, Stevie, I am, but I'm back and I'm never leaving again."

Steve shook his head and hugged Bucky tighter. "Never your fault," he managed.

"Okay," Bucky said easily. "Not my fault. I'll work on remembering that. But you've gotta remember it's not your fault, either." Steve nodded, but Bucky knew him, knew he couldn't pay attention, knew he was just nodding to agree with Bucky. "Hey, c'mere. Floor's not comfortable. Let's sit on the couch."

"God," Steve said after a little while, huffing a sad attempt at a laugh as he wiped his face. "Guess now you're rethinking the kiss, huh?" He leaned back into the couch, feigning relaxation, but Bucky could always read him. "Not even fifteen minutes into our first conversation in seven decades and I already bawled all over you."

Bucky hummed. "See, that's a hidden apology, and that's not happening. It may have been seven decades, but my memory's as good as ever and I still have your number, Rogers." He waved his phone. "You want Chinese?"

"Chinese?"

"Yeah, you know, lo mein, fried rice, chicken? It's one in the afternoon."

"Oh. Uh, whatever you're getting. I can pay for my own."

"Nah, I've got it."

Steve chuckled. This was familiar. "I'm serious, I'm not hurting for money."

"Yeah, I know." He flicked a grin over to Steve. "Look around, pal. I'm comfortable."

Steve hummed, surveying the room. "At least this time it's for niceties and not necessity," he said, referring to way back when, when Bucky would buy food for both of them when Steve couldn't contribute enough. 

"Nice? Nah, I'm just doing this so you'll owe me later on."

"Asshole," Steve muttered, and Bucky laughed.

Steve couldn't help the smile. After seventy years, he was finally home again.


End file.
